Keller Williams Realty - December 2017

CHAPTER 7 BANKRUPTCY BULLETIN

December 2017 Vol. IV

Note From the Editor

Selling Vacant and/or Abandoned Properties

Dear Reader, At this time of year, I’d like to wish you and your family

If you are a personal representative in charge of an abandoned property, it may be in your best interest to find a way to sell it. Selling an abandoned property is often difficult because of the location or the condition of the property. However, local governments put up obstacles beyond those in an attempt to control the neighborhood. They openly create disincentives for leaving the properties vacant and penalize those who let their properties fall into such a state of disrepair as to be a blight on the neighborhood. Although the reasons are understandable, it works against those who are trying to do the right thing and divest themselves of a property they truly don’t have the resources to care for. Some urban areas have a particularly large number of abandoned properties. Here are some examples of obstacles and incentives used by Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia. Washington, D.C. Requiring an extra tax as a kind of punishment is considered experimental, as we don’t know yet the full impact of these measures. The D.C. Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (DCRA) currently taxes vacant properties 5 percent extra, and they tax 10 percent extra if it is determined that those properties are blighted. The law allows for some exceptions, such as those owned by the federal government or that are under construction. There is an exception if the owner can prove that the property is on the market for rent or sale, with some qualifications, and a rarely granted exemption for financial hardship.

a happy, healthy, and joyous holiday season. If you have any topics

you’d like to see us write about in 2018, please let me know. Happy holidays!

the homeowner. There is confusion among homeowners about the qualifications and new legislation which will put the burden of proof on the homeowner to show that a property is even occupied. The new rules would also cut down time limits for some exemptions and penalize those who fail to list their unoccupied properties as being so. The law, as it stands, puts an impossible burden on DCRA for maintaining a list of properties, but it also adds in a rebate for those who comply with the regulations and then manage to fill their vacant properties within a year. Maryland Property taxes in Maryland are determined locally. Maryland offers a homestead exemption, and local jurisdictions offer some other tax incentives for occupied real estate property, although an investigation discovered that many vacant properties mistakenly get those credits. Strict rules about tax arrearages owed have contributed to the problem in Maryland, but a tax credit in Baltimore for taking over an abandoned property is a major incentive as it offers up to 100 percent reimbursement under certain conditions. Many local jurisdictions require owners to register vacant property, but the requirements are not as restrictive as those in D.C. For instance, many require a $50 fee, with registration occurring within 30 days of a foreclosure sale.

Yours truly, –Marc Cormier Editor/Realtor

Our real estate practice specializes in understanding the unique complexities of selling homes tied up in legal processes, whether that’s bankruptcy, divorce, or probate. The challenges of these types of filings don’t come just from the buyers and sellers, but also from creditors, spouses, heirs, the IRS, local tax authorities, local code enforcement, HOAs, and POA. If you value working with an agent who can avoid these pitfalls, someone you can feel confident will close the file, then give me a call or send an email: (301) 660-6272 , ext. 700 , or Cormier64@gmail.com .

These and other exemptions are subject to time limits, and they are subject to appeal by